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Interview with Josh LeMay of Citizen Zero

Coming from the heartland and out of
the rumbling sounds of Detroit, Michigan band members: Josh LeMay -
Vocals/Guitar Sammy Boller - Lead Guitar John Dudley - Drums Sam
Collins - Bass together comprise Citizen Zero. The ups and downs of
life though have lead this band to remain buoyant as the heart of
their rock n roll soul can never give way to anything less than
creating, recording, touring, and performing the passion of rock n
roll.

Song River: Hey Josh, how are you doing
today and isn't the weather beautiful for once in Michigan?

Josh LeMay: It is beautiful, we
don't really have a chance that often to say that... so I am going to
say it! (laughed)

SR: I was digging into your background
and found a bio up on the Sonicbids site.

LeMay: Wow, that has got to be old.

SR: Honestly, I find it humorous how
words get used in press releases and bios sometimes. When something
reads in that in relatively short amount of time band so and so has
climbed to the top... looking at yours Citizen Zero started in 2010
and it is now 2016- nothing quick about that is there? You have put
in a ton of hard work!

LeMay: (laughed) I think it is to
give the illusion that there hasn’t been any blood, sweat or tears
going into it.

SR: You guys have gone through some
pretty heavy stuff as a group of band mates and friends.

LeMay: Yeah, I can't account for any
other bands, but I got to imagine we have had a rockier road than
maybe some. If they haven't had difficult times, my hats off to them,
because life is crazy.

SR: And you wouldn't have it any other
way. You love what you are doing Josh.

LeMay: I wouldn't have it any other
way. If we had a choice... we would have quit a long time ago. There
is no choice, we love it, this is it.

SR: Really all of you have been messing
around with music since you were little kids.

LeMay: We were squirts, yes. I
started playing drums actually when I was three. Every single member
of the band is generational in the music.

SR: Really?

LeMay: Yes, our grandparents played
music and that was passed on down to our dads, and then passed down
to us.

SR: On your side of the family Josh
where did the line-up fall and what did they do?

LeMay: My grandpa was a Bluegrass
player, he grew up in Virginia. He passed away a good few years back,
but I have tattoos of things that remind me of what he brought. He
was such a huge part of my life. My grandpa grew up going to venues,
bars, concerts and that is how he raised my dad, then my dad grew up
and raised me that way too.

With my grandpa being a Bluegrass
guitar player and my dad a drummer in a rock band, well that is how I
have spent my entire life.

SR: When you look back Josh at your
childhood was it really that different than all your friends?

LeMay: You know at the time I didn't
think so. My dad's buddy he was in a band with was just over here the
other day and my girlfriend was in the other room. We were chatting
and dad was talking to me about those times growing up and all the
crazy stuff that has happened over the years. Then after they left
my girlfriend came to me and asked, “What in the hell is wrong with
you guys?” (laughed) I guess kind of at that moment it hit me that
maybe the way my childhood was wasn’t a totally normal thing.

SR: I suppose as you think towards your
own future Josh, that is probably how you are going to be raising
your own kids.

LeMay: It is. I wouldn’t have it
any other way. I wouldn't change a thing.

SR: There is so much to be learned. You
really grew up in the honesty of music. That, in turn, is a history
in education.

LeMay: That is a great way to
pinpoint it to. Music is, to be honest. You need to be doing music
because of what it is, for yourself, not for anything else. Being
around those kinds of people who are playing their music because they
love it, that is a powerful education in history.

SR: I think some of the best
songwriting comes from those points of time too.

LeMay: I would agree 100%. We will
be releasing a song that will be on our new album coming in August
and the whole song is written about getting back to a time of writing
a song where we call it the “unconscious unknowing” stage. Which
is... you're doing it, you don't even know you're doing it. You don't
know the rules, you don't know anything. You're just doing because
you have to. Which is arguably the purest form of songwriting there
is.

SR: I think that says a whole lot about
your relationship personally Josh with music.

As Citizen Zero has been writing this
new album Josh and reflected back to all that had occurred with the
passing of a former band member, Matt Dudley, talk to me about what
happened and the journey now with all of you.

LeMay: I cannot speak for his
brothers in the band, but from the time Matt and I had met until the
time he passed away I spent every waking moment as a group together
working on writing music or going to the bar and getting sauced up so
we could write music (laughed). I guess for me, from a songwriting
standpoint I am super 'eyes-wide-open.' I am easily inspired.

Of course, an event like that is
going to trigger an emotional reaction. A song from something like
thatis going to come out of it for me. It could be a feeling
that makes its way into a song, or a vibe or whatever.

For John our drummer, Matt's brother,
he has said it a thousand times he can't imagine that his brother
would have wanted him to stop playing music and quit. It would have
been easier along the way, but he never did and WE never did. Johnny
strongly believes his brother would have wanted the music to go on.

SR: Can you tell us what did happen?

LeMay: Yeah, I can give you the
'Cliffsnotes' version.

I was in a band with three brothers,
there was Matt, John, and Greg. We had gotten some traction in
Detroit and had attracted some people who were wanting to work with
us. At the time, we were thinking this was going to help progress our
career forward, and they did big time. So, we ended up working with
those guys and cut a record on April 3rd. I remember that day so
well. We were all in the room and we worked for nine hours straight
on just two songs. We just killed it. Matt playing guitar, all of us
switching off ideas with the producers at the time, it was really a
positive experience.

On April 4th, we had a noon call
time to be back in the studio. I get a text from Matt, maybe around
10:30 am and it said, “Hey just going to let you know I am not
going to make it into the studio today.” And at the time we are all
unsigned musicians working day jobs, so I didn't think anything of
it, thinking okay he is stuck at work probably. A couple of hours
later I texted him that we were all still in the studio, could maybe
come in and do his guitar part because I suck at guitar, and there
was no answer. Again, I didn't think anything of it and just went
about the day and I get a frantic phone call from John, our drummer,
in this crazy phone call let me know that Matt had committed suicide.
I don't know the reasons, to be honest. Of course, it knocked the
wind out of our sails, but within a couple of weeks, the brothers
said, “We are not giving up. He wouldn't have wanted us to give
up.”

SR: You got to pick up the pieces no
matter how difficult they are.

Maybe, if the band
wants to reach out to an organization called, To Write Love On Her
Arms. There might be a connection you all could bring together in
helping others who are coping with loss, contemplating their own
struggles, etc...

LeMay: I know John has been wanting
to check out different things and get involved to help others too.

SR: I will send their information over
to you Josh so you can share.

Back to your music. If you were to
describe “Detroit” based rock sound, how would you explain it?

LeMay: You know I try to keep my
eyes open and look for that myself. I can't quite figure out
Detroit. It is a weird town. I love it here. I guess you could say it
is really eclectic. There is a huge indie and electronic scene here.
Those are big enough to say they stand out. As for rock, we have
always had a great loyal following here. There are super bad ass
rock venues here and the venues really put a lot of funds into them.
Actually, Flint, which has been in the news a lot, has The Machine
Shop. Which is legendary.

SR: Ah, yes.

LeMay: We were just doing Rocklahoma
and Rock On The Range and all these people were traveling from all
over the country. And in both places Oklahoma and the other one in
Ohio we so many people wearing Machine Shop apparel it was insane.

SR: Do you have a place you like to
play when you are back home?

LeMay: The two that stand out are
The Crofoot Ballroom in Pontiac, MI and of course The Machine Shop in
Flint.

SR: You signed with Wind-up Records
recently, and how has that been treating you?

LeMay: Yeah, it would just be over a
month or so ago. It is a fresh partnership. The ink is still drying.
(laughed) It is really good. You know going back to when I was a kid,
you grew up with stories of how the record label is the enemy... now
bare in mind... we went into thinking how do you get signed, and why
aren’t we getting headway and why not us? We showcased for other
labels, no explanation was given, the old it's not you... it's us.

So, Wind-up came along and it was an
incredibly human reaction with them. No stock responses, they hung
out with us, they had interesting things to say to us, total honest
vibe to them. The more we got to know them the more we saw just how
genuine they are. It is an amazing family feel. I can't help maybe
thinking really this is fate. We've always wanted a family to feel
to what we have created. They have that. There is no stifling our
creativity. We are sort of this little island and they are just
pushing us and pushing us. We are super busy. We are ingrained so
much into our art and we just love it. They are totally emotionally
invested in us as we are in them.

SR: I think we are seeing this shift in
how we interact with each other.

LeMay: I think so too. It is way
more human. Less machine, more human.

SR: I think you would probably agree
with Josh that the arts usually lead the way in society and culture.

LeMay: I hope we are seeing this
shift. “GO (Let Me Save You)” is our first single. It was
written about a singular event but now means so much more. It was
inspired by that Sandy Hook tragedy with the lack of integrity the
media reported on it with their own agenda. That is a sign of our
times. I think especially rock n roll it should be a 100% a
reflection of our times. If you’re going to be in a rock band it
should be unadulterated, full, just say it.

SR: Freedom has a voice and it has to
come out in rock n roll.

LeMay: There is more power in music
than in anything.

SR: Where did the name Citizen Zero
come from?

LeMay: It came from an idea back in
2010. The idea of one person in history has been able to change
history for the better or the worst. It could be a terrorist like
Hitler, or someone who brought about peace like Martin Luther King...
it's about any citizen can be that paradigm shift. It is not easy to
go after something you love. It's terrifying and there are low
points, but it's worth the fight. And courage can come from anybody.

SR: The album, State of Mind, really
goes with the whole band process.

LeMay: All of it together, fate or
not, goes together. Buoyancy is the way, stay afloat. We believe in
what we are and what we do.

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